OAN’s Abril Elfi
10:28 AM – Saturday, July 6, 2024
An Oakland gas station was ransacked by a mob of nearly 100 looters, causing thousands of dollars in damage.
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On Friday, a mob of people who had just attended a car show nearby busted into the 76 Station near the San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport around 4:30 a.m.
According to the owner of the gas station, Sam Mardaie, there were approximately 80 to 100 people who broke into the store and grabbed as many things as they could.
“Shelves were ripped apart; all the grocery items were torn, stepped on, or vandalized,” Mardaie told the outlet.
Video surveillance from the incident showed the looters grabbing food items off the shelves, boxes and baskets, and even a television.
The business was reportedly only providing window service, which is typical for the 24/7 shop during the overnight hours, and the mob was reportedly upset that they weren’t allowed inside.
The ATM and register at the store were robbed of about $25,000 in cash, but the thieves were unable to take the safe.
The mass looting, which lasted for about 40 minutes, threatened two store employees, Mardaie told KTVU.
“This is the hardest thing you could ever go through… especially if you’ve been put through sweat and tears day in and day out,” the frustrated owner told the outlet. “Build yourself for the last ten months, and then you’re back to square one.”
When a call was made to Oakland police, the dispatcher said that the crime could be reported online and that it was listed as Priority 2 because no suspects were present.
Nine hours after the robbery started, an officer was dispatched to the store, and the massive looting was only raised to Priority 1 after a video of it was shared with the department, KTVU reported.
Oakland’s recent spike in crime has forced several restaurant chains to close their stores in the area. The gas station is located near an In-N-Out that had closed its only location in the area due to the out-of-control crime.
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